AUSTIN — Today, hundreds of volunteers from gun safety organizations across Texas participated in an advocacy day rally as part of the Texas Coalition to End Gun Violence, including volunteers with the Texas chapters of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, both part of Everytown for Gun Safety’s grassroots network. Speakers included the Executive Director of Moms Demand Action, Angela Ferrell-Zabala and gun violence survivors from across the state who have been demanding lawmakers take up lifesaving gun safety legislation for years.
“There have already been 29 people shot and injured or killed in mass shootings across Texas this year. That’s 29 communities forever changed by the trauma of gun violence,” said Angela Ferrell-Zabala, executive director of Moms Demand Action. “Our movement in Texas is growing because we know this isn’t about the Second Amendment—it’s about common sense. More gun safety laws means more lives saved, and that’s always something worth fighting for.”
“Gun violence is the leading cause of death for young people in Texas. We can’t afford to wait for adults to take action,” said Mireya Rodriguez, a gun violence survivor and Students Demand Action volunteer leader. “As a Texan born and raised, I understand that our state values the Second Amendment. Supporting gun rights and advocating for gun violence prevention policies aren’t mutually exclusive. I didn’t survive a mass shooting for another legislative session to pass without lawmakers addressing this issue. The time to act is now.”
“Our presence at the capitol here today demonstrates the power of our movement. The gun safety movement in Texas is stronger than ever, here to stay, and fed up with our lawmakers’ inaction,” said Leslie Morrison, a volunteer with the Texas chapter of Moms Demand Action. “We know that fighting for common sense gun laws in Texas is an uphill battle. Our lawmakers would rather cater to the gun lobby than keep us safe, but it doesn’t have to be this way. There are common-sense foundational gun violence prevention laws that we can enact, and it’s long past time that we do.”
Advocates also met with lawmakers in support of measures to raise the age on some semi-automatic firearms from 18 to 21, require the secure storage of firearms, and sustained support for community violence prevention and intervention organizations. Texas lacks all foundational gun safety policies and currently ranks 32nd in the country for the strength of its gun laws. Despite the fact that three of the five worst mass shootings since 2015 have taken place in Texas, lawmakers have consistently rejected efforts to strengthen the state’s gun safety laws, leaving communities vulnerable to tragedy.
In an average year, 4,330 people in Texas die by guns and another 7,726 are injured. Gun violence costs Texas $51.3 billion each year, of which $1.1 billion is paid by taxpayers. More information about gun violence in Texas is here.